Pressing machine for shirts and the like



June 9, 1936.`

c. w. JOHNSON PRESSING MACHINE FOR SHIRTS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 24, 1934 Patented June 9, 1936 non BATENT QFHCE.

PRESSING MACHINE FOR SHIRTS AND THE LiKE George W. Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio, assgnor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Norwood, 'Cihio9 a corporation of Ohio Application November 2li, 1934, Serial No. 754,626

20 Claims.

This invention relates to a pressing machine of the type used in laundry and garment Work and to a particular form of pressing element used therewith.

Pressing machines of this general type are used for ironing or pressing articles such asmens shirts and other garments of similar character which are dressed upon a pressing bed or buck with the free edges of the garment adjacent and the balance of the garment dressed smoothly over the buck. For instance, in pressing the front of a shirt, it is customary to hold the neckband in position by well known devices and to dress the centrally located free edges of the shirt front, one edge containing the buttonholes and the other the buttons, along the central portion of the buck with the shirt front smoothly stretched on either side thereof. An object of the present invention is to provide a special arrangement of pressing elements for use in such an operation so constructed and arranged that the coacting faces of the pressing members first engage the free edges of the garment so as to hold them in place and thereafter the balance of the pressing surfaces are brought together so as to smooth all wrinkles and apply ironing pressure to the entire surface of the garment dressed upon the buck.

Another object f my invention is to provide a pressing machine having coacting pressing members, each of which is movable toward and from the other, with power means for operating the same. The power means is adapted to move one of the members into pressing position Where it is locked and thereafter the power means moves the other pressing member into engagement with the first member, the parts being so arranged that the pressure between the members holds the lirst member in its locked position.

Other objects and advantageous features of my invention include suitable structural members and control mechanism for carrying out the above objects and such other novel features as will be pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, Fig. -1 is a side elevation partly in section embodying my invention with certain of the control mechanism shown in diagrammatic form; Fig. 2 is an venlarged sectional view through the pressing head and bed before final pressure is applied to a piece of work; Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 with the pressing members in linal engagement; Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, showing a modified arrangement of the pressing members; While Fig. 5 is a (Cl. (iS-9) plan View of the pressing head as viewed along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

While my invention is adapted for use in pressing various articles, I have illustrated a type of press particularly suitable for ironing mens shirts. The press illustrated comprises a frame lil upon which is mounted a buck ll, the particular form of which will be more fully described hereafter. On a bracket on the frame is pivotally mounted a head lever l2 which carries a head or chest member i3 adapted to coact with the bed or buck l l. Movement of the head toward the bed is accomplished by means of a pair of toggle links i4 and l5 pivotally connected at one end to the rearwardly extending arm l5 of the head lever and at the other end supported-by the frame. A cylinder and piston motor Il is provided having a piston i3 and a piston rod I9 connected to the toggle knuckles at so that actuation of the pis ton toward the left serves to move the toggles beyond their straightened position, as shown at 2l in broken lines in Fig. 1. This toggle movement is limited by the shoulders 22 which move into contact as indicated in the broken line position. Control of motive fluid to motor l1 is by way of conduit 23 and valve casing 2li. This casing contains a normally open exhaust valve 25 and a normally closed inlet valve 26 which communicates through conduit 2l with a source of pressure fluid. Manual 28 serves to actuate this valve. A spring 29 connected between the toggle link I5 and the press frame biases the chest I3 toward its open position.

One of the pressing members is provided with a pressing face which is expansible into contact with the ooacting face of the other member by means of a flexible substantially fluid-tight cover incorporated in said expansible pressing member and provided with a fluid supply so that said cover may be inflated to raise the pressing surface connected therewith into engagement with the coacting pressing member. Also, one of the pressing members is provided wih a raised strip at that point calculated to engage the free edges of the garment dressed on the pressing machine so that when the pressing members iirst come into contact the raised strip will engage the other member sufciently to hold the free edges of the garment therebetween While the balance of the pressing surfaces come into play to slightly stretch and thereafter iron the entire surface of the garment between the members. In the present embodiment this expansible and inflatable cover is incorporated in the buck member i l. In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, over the rigid CII.

buck casting a substantially fluid-tight cover member 3| is placed with its edges extending downwardly as at 32 and 33 (and in` a similar manner at the ends of the buck) and secured beneath the rigid casting as shown at 34 in a fluidtight manner. The cover member 3| may be of any suitable material such as rubber or impregnated fabric, and it is sufficient that this cover be flexible and expansible, whether this expansibility results from the inherent resilience of the cover material or from a slight slackness in the cover when deflated which is subject to extension when the cover is inflated. Ination of the cover in the present embodiment is accomplished automatically upon the chest I3 reaching pressing position, at which time the toggle links in their position indicated at 2|, Fig. l, actuate the stern of a valve disk 35 which in its normal position closes inlet valve 36 and opens exhaust valve 31. When actuated, disk 35 opens valve 35 to a fluid pressure supply 38 which thereupon travels by conduit 39 and normally open inlet valve 4i) and conduit 4| to the space beneath the buck cover.

It will be noted from the arrangement of the toggle links in their locked position in Fig. l that pressure exerted between the chest and buck will serve to hold them in such locked position. The inflation of the buck cover supplies this pressure between the coacting pressing members so that the press once closed will remain closed as long as desired. Opening of the press is accomplished by deflating the buck cover by depressing treadle 42. This treadle is connected by link 43 and bellcrank 44 with the stem of valve disk 40 in such a manner that depression of treadle 42 moves the valve disk to close inlet valve 40 and open exhaust valve 45. When suiiicient uid is exhausted from beneath the buck cover 3| pressure between the coacting pressing members is relieved and spring 29 will break the toggles whereupon inlet valve 36 will close.

The special arrangement of the pressing members for ironing shirts includes a special form of chest member |3 having a substantially fiat central portion 46 and side pressing portions 41 extending at an angle thereto so as to cooperate with the side portions 32 and 33 of the buck. The plan view of this chest shown in Fig. 5 shows the conventional cut-out portion at 48 for accommodating the neckband of a shirt and extending longitudinally of the chest through the central portion thereof is a raised strip 49 which is positioned to contact the free edges of a shirt dressed upon the buck as indicated in dot-dash lines in Figs. 2 and 3, the free edges being shown at 53. It results from` this construction that with the chest in the position of Fig. 2, which corresponds to the locked position of the toggles, expansion of the cover member 3| will cause the free edges 50 to be rst gripped between the cover member and the raised portion 49 of the chest. Thereafter further expansion of the cover member 3| will cause the portions 5| of the shirt on either side of the center to be raised into engagement with the substantially flat portions 46 of the chest for an ironing operation. It will be noted that the portions 41 of the chest and coacting side portions 32 and 33 of the buck are substantially parallel with the central axis of the pressing members and expansion of the cover member 3| from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 slightly stretches the portions 5| of the shirt outwardly and away from the free edges 50 which at that time are securely held so as to smooth out wrinkles and to provide a very eiicient ironing operation.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the raised strip adapted to engage the free edges of the shirt is applied to the buck instead of to the chest. In the form shown, the raised strip 52 is incorporated as part of the cover member 3|a and the fluid supply line for inflating the cover 4|a. is provided with branches 53 and 54 so as to insure a iluid supply to the inilatable cover on both sides of its center. The action of the pressing members of Fig. 4 is substantially similar to that already described and it is relatively immaterial whether the chest |30, is rst moved into contact with the strip 52 so as to grip the edges 1 56a of the shirt therebetween or Whether the pressing members are moved into close proximity in which case the first action upon cover inflation is to cause a gripping between the strip 52 and the pressing surface of the chest 53a, followed thereafter by the stretching and ironing of the side portions of the shirt upon further cover inflation as already described.

It is thought that the operation of the machine will be readily understood from the above description, but the same may be brieiiy summarized as follows: With the parts in the position of Fig. 1, the operator dresses a shirt upon the buck with the free edges extending longitudinally down its center. manual 28 which admits motive fluid to motor il which moves the toggles to the locked position shown at 2| and moves the chest I3 to the position shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 4. Upon reaching locked position the toggles actuate valve 35, thus admitting pressure fluid beneath cover 3| and expanding the cover to the position shown in Fig. 3. Thereupon pressure between the chest and buck serves to hold the toggles in their locked position thus maintaining iluid pressure beneath the cover member 3|. The operator may then release manual 28. To open the press, treadle 42 is depressed as already described which moves valve disk 4U temporarily to exhaust position until the toggles have been broken by spring 29, thus permitting valve 35 to return to its normal closed position.

In these presses the pressing surface of either or both of the chest or head on the one hand and the bed or buck on the other may be provided with a suitable cover cloth and with more or less paddling, although in some cases one of the members may be a plain polished metal surface. In any event, whether one member is a plain polished metal surface, or either, or both, and provided with a cover cloth or cover cloth and padding, as the pressing operation proceeds the work is first clamped at the rib, bulge, or thickened portion, which in the form shown is along the center, between the rigid pressing member and the expansible bag of the other pressing member, and as the bag expands the work moves with it outwardly toward the edges of the pressing members with a perceptible and appreciable stretching action upon the work, removing and preventing wrinkles.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one of which is provided with a surface expansible toward the other member, a portion of the pressing surface of one of said members projecting beyond other portions thereof, means for positioning said members with the projecting portion of one contacting the pressing The operator then depresses 'q surface of the other, and means for expanding said expansible surface.

2. In a pressing machine for garments having longitudinally extending free edges and other portions extending laterally therefrom, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one of Which is provided with a surface expansible toward the other member, a longitudinally extending portion of the pressing surface of one of said members projecting beyond other portions thereof, means for positioning said members with the projecting portion of one coacting with the pressing surface of the other member togrip the free edges of said garment, and means for expanding said expansible surface to press said other portions of said garment into contact with the coacting pressing member.

3. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one of which is provided With a surface expansible toward the other member, a portion of the pressing surface of one of said members projecting beyond other portions thereof, means for positioning said members with their pressing surfaces adjacent, and means for expanding said expansible surface, whereby pressure engagement between the coacting surfaces occurs rst at said projecting portion.

4. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, the first of which is provided with a surface expansible toward the second member, the second member having a portion of its pressing surface projecting toward the first member, means for relatively moving said meinbers to position the pressing surfaces thereof adjacent, and means for expanding the surface of said first member.

5. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, the first of which is provided with a surface expansible toward the second member, the second member having a raised portion located centrally of its pressing surface, means for relatively moving said members to position the pressing surfaces thereof adjacent,

.and means for expanding the surface of said first member.

6. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one of which is provided with surface means expansible toward the other member, said surface means having a portion thereof projecting toward said other member, means for relatively moving said members to position the pressing surfaces thereof adjacent, and means for expanding said surface means.

'7. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one of which is provided with surface means expansible toward the other member, said surface means having a centrally-located longitudinally-extending portion projecting toward said other member, means for relatively moving said members to position the pressing surfaces thereof adjacent, and means for expanding said surface means.

8. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one` of which has surface means including a centrally-located longitudinally-extending portion raised above the pressing surface portions on each side thereof, said side surface portions being expansible toward said other member, means for relatively moving said members to position the pressing surfacesV thereof adjacent, and means for expanding said side surface portions.

9. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating pressing members, one of which has surface means including a centrally-located longitudinally-extending portion raised above the pressing surface portions on each side thereof, said side surface portions being expansible toward said other member, means for relatively moving said members to position the pressing surfaces thereof adjacent, and said central portion in contact with the cooperating pressing member, and means for expanding said side surface portions.

10. In a pressing machine in combination, a pressing bed having a pressing face comprising a flexible expansible substantially fluid-tight cover, a pressing head adapted to coact with said bed, said head having a centrally-located longitudinally-extending raised portion, means for positioning said head and bed with their coacting surfaces adjacent, and means for inflating said cover to expand the same.

ll.. In a pressing machine in combination, a

pressing bed having a pressing face comprising a flexible expansible substantially fluid-tight cover, said pressing bed face having a centrally-located longitudinally-extending raised portion substantially integral with said cover, a pressing head adapted to coact with said bed, means for positioning said head and bed With their coacting surfaces adjacent, and means for inflating said cover to expand the same.

12. In a pressing machine in combination, a pressing bed having a pressing face provided with a substantially flat central portion and side portions extending at an angle thereto, said pressing face comprising a flexible expansible substantially fluid-tight cover, a pressing head adapted to coact with the central and side portions of said bed, said head having a centrally-located longitudinally extending raised portion, means for positioning said head and bed With their coacting surfaces adjacent, and means for inflating said cover to expand the same.

13. In a pressing machine in combination, a pressing bed having a pressing face provided with a substantially flat central portion and side portions extending at an angle thereto, said pressing face comprising a flexible expansible substantially fluid-tight cover, said pressing bed face having a centrally-located longitudinally-extending raised portion substantially integral with said cover, a pressing head adapted to coact With the central and side portions of said bed, means for positioning said head and bed With their coacting surfaces adjacent, and means for inflating said cover to expand the same.

14. In a pressing machine, a pair of cooperating relatively movable pressing members, each having a` substantially at central pressing portion and side pressing portions on'opposite sides of said central portion and extending at an angle to the plane of said central portion, said side portions extending in substantially parallel directiens, one of said members having a raised portion extending longitudinally thereof and substantially parallel to said side pressing portions, one of said members having a flexible expansible cover for advancing the pressing portions thereof, means for positioning said members with their cooperating pressing portions adjacent, and means for expanding said cover.

l5. In a pressing machine, cooperating relatively movable head and bed pressing members, said head member having a substantially flat central pressing portion and depending side pressing portions on opposite longitudinal edges of said central portion, said central pressing portion having a centrally-located longitudinally-extending raised portion, said bed member having portions adapted to coact with said central and side pressing portions of the head member, said bed member portions comprising a flexible expansible substantially duid-tight cover, means for positioning said members with their cooperat ing pressing portions adjacent, and means for expanding said cover.

16. In a pressing machine of the character described, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members, toggle links for relatively moving one of said members into pressing position, means biasing said links toward broken position, means for moving said toggle links toward and past straightened position, abutment means for limiting such movement, means whereby said toggle links are held in past-straightened position by pressure between said coacting pressing members, and means for moving the pressing surface of the other of said pressing members into engagement with said one member in pressing position for causing such pressure.

17. In a pressing machine of the character described, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members having pressing surfaces, a motor ior relatively moving the rst of said members into pressing position, means biasing said rst member toward open position, mechanism between said motor and said first member adapted to hold said rst member in pressing position by pressure between said coacting members, and fluid actuating means for applying the pressing surface o1 the second of said pressing members to the corresponding face of said first pressing member when in its pressing position.

18. A pressing machine as in claim 17 including control means for said fluid actuated means, and means for actuating said control means automatically upon movement of said rst pressing member into pressing position.

19, A pressing machine, comprising relatively movable pressing members, one of which has a rigid body portion forming a pressing surface and the other of which includes for its pressing surface an expansible bag, the pressing surface of one of said members having a raised portion between its edges where the work is rst gripped upon expansion of the bag.

20. A pressing machine as in claim 17, including control means for releasing the rst member from the effect of said motor, and control means for releasing the pressure effect of said fluid actuated means, said two control means being capable of actuation independently of each other.

GEORGE W. JOHNSON. 

